8 tips for fighting stress

Stress is a part of life. Some of us, however, may experience it more than others. Three out of five Australians experience work-related stress. 72% of Australians feel stress impacts their physical health and 64% feel stress impacts their mental health (Source: NIB Health Insurer).

Feelings of worry, unease and fear can be expected following a stressful few years, however, it’s important that we learn to manage our distressing feelings before they become overwhelming. Burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic stress that has not been successfully managed. 

Here are 8 simple and easy tips to help you beat stress and anxiety:

Avoiding Unhealthy Habits

Using unhealthy coping mechanisms is not only temporary, but it can also cause more problems. Examples of unhealthy habits are excessive or frequent consumption of alcohol (in particular during times of stress and anxiety), overuse of caffeine (especially if you have an overstimulated nervous system), smoking and drug use.

Not only are these habits detrimental to your health, but they can also cause chaos in your already hectic life.

Activity

It does not matter what type of activity you do, just get moving! You can exercise or dance around the living room. Whichever activity you choose, moving pumps up your endorphins and other feel-good hormones and gives you an overall sense of well-being.

Activity helps you focus on body movement and not your problems. These are some great stress busters:

● Dancing, cleaning the house or both!
● Hiking or riding in a nature environment
● Power walking or taking the dog for a walk
● Weight lifting and weight bearing cardio exercise

Jogging or running which releases hormones called endorphins. Popular culture identifies these as the chemicals behind “runner's high,” a short-lasting, deeply euphoric state following intense exercises.

Yoga

Yoga is a great way to help relieve stress. A series of postures and controlled breathing brings together mental and physical discipline. Not only can yoga help you get tone and fit, but it can also help you more deeply manage stress and anxiety.

Connecting With Others

Humans are social beings. As a matter of fact, research has proven that people who have a supportive circle of friends and family live longer than people who are alone!

Having social interactions relieves stress by offering a distraction. Talking over your problems with a friend can give you support and an opportunity to see a situation from a different perspective.

Whether you go to lunch with a friend, visit a place of worship, or volunteer your time to help others, connecting with individuals takes the pressure off your mind and relieves stress.

Humour

If you are stressed out, laughter really is the best medicine! Even when you are unhappy, if you force yourself to laugh, it will make you feel good. Humour not only lightens your mood but also creates positive changes in the body.

When you are upset, your body reacts physically in what is known as the stress response. Laughing or even smiling helps diminish the stress response. Your body winds back down faster.

So, go ahead and watch that comedy show or put on that funny movie, laughing will help you feel better by the end of the show!

Eat The Right Foods

Food is medicine – it can harm, or it can heal. The way you eat is vital to how your body deals with stress. The body needs certain nutrients to function. Vitamins and minerals such as potassium, zinc, copper, Vitamin B and C etc., help your body perform various healthy processes. If your diet is inadequate or during times of high stress consider supplementing your diet with these core vitamin supplements.

A high fat, high sugar diet causes reactions that lead to chronic health conditions. You become more vulnerable to having health problems especially when you are under stress.

When you eat a healthy diet with good fats, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and omega 3, your body is able to fight off the effects of stress. Your mind can also handle adversity better.

Eating the right foods keeps your body functioning well. A diet rich in antioxidants helps repair the effects of oxidative stress internally and keeps your immune system strong.

Journaling

Journaling is a powerful tool to help you manage stress. Jotting down how you feel, what went wrong, or what you would like to say to another person, can be an effective way of dealing with your emotions.

Holding feelings inside is toxic and can make you angry and bitter. Writing how you feel in a journal can release those feelings and give you a new perspective. It can also establish how much you have grown when you look back and read about how you felt in the past.

Self-Care

The best gift you can give yourself to fight off stress is self-care. It does not matter if you are a caregiver, a healthcare worker or need a break from life, taking care of yourself helps relieve stress.

When you are under stress, you become exhausted both physically and emotionally. Life is harder to handle when you are not at your best. You have more resilience when you take a break and care for yourself.

Self-care comes in many forms. It could be as small as slipping away and reading a book or doing a short meditation. It could be taking an extra long shower or a quiet bath, getting a manicure or pedicure. It could even be taking a scenic hike.

Taking time to do something for yourself can:

● Improve emotional health
● Boost your immune system
● Make you a better worker or caregiver

Rest & Restore

Getting away and connecting with nature is a fantastic way to fight stress.

Did you know that being in a forest or next to a flowing stream can reduce stress?

The beauty and calm of nature help your mind and body relax and feel good. ‘Forest bathing’, or Shinrin-yoku (immersing yourself in nature) was developed in the 1980s in Japan. Although people had been taking walks in the country’s forests for centuries, new studies showed that such activity could reduce blood pressure, lower cortisol levels and improve concentration and memory. A chemical released by trees and plants, called phytoncides, was found to boost the immune system.

If you are looking for a peaceful retreat where you can relax and heal, Rest & Restore can be your sanctuary. With one retreat in a mountain setting and the other in a bush environment, you can immerse yourself in the beauty of nature which is therapeutic on many levels,

Escaping to one of our retreats for self-care can help you:

● Get away from your daily routine
● Give you a break from the stress
● Offer time alone to reflect and reset
● Generate soothing feelings that restores your energy and vitality.

Nestled in the beautiful Yarra Valley, Victoria, only an hour from Melbourne, you can experience deep restoration on a mental, physical, emotional and spiritual level.

Our self-care centric programs help you regenerate your body, mind, and soul. We offer a combination of traditional and alternative therapies such as yoga, meditation, counselling, breath-work and body treatments through to sound bowl healing and forest bathing.

Introspection (the quiet observation of one’s own thoughts, feelings and sensations) is fostered and guests are encouraged not to program too much into their days. You can do as much or as little as you like. Our goal is to help you free yourself from the stress you have been holding on to inside.

Retreats are not a vacation because there is an intent behind them. The intent could be stress relief or focus, restoring the nervous system or healing. The intent will be different for everyone. Whatever your intent is, when you go to a retreat, you connect with like-minded people who understand what you are going through.

A retreat is for individuals, families, close friends and even special interest groups, work teams and businesses large and small, who want to incorporate wellness into their mission, vision, or values.

Studies confirm that employees and individuals who participate in a retreat are happier with their jobs and more productive. The results of a retreat are long lasting.

If you are looking for the best form of self-care, make an investment in yourself or your employees and come to Rest & Restore. Empower yourself to wellness and book a retreat today!